off-axis frequency response (0° = solid; 15° = dot; 30° = dash; 45° = dash/dot; 60° = dash).
Other features include a FEA-optimized ferrite magnet motor structure, a proprietary next-generation “Sound Castle” soft diaphragm clamping assembly that reduces diaphragm mechanical stress and distortion, nominal 50 W (AES) rated power handling, a 2 kHz recommended crossover frequency, and 1 W/1 m 107 dB sensitivity (measured 2 π on a typical horn). Celestion also supplied me with the H1-9040P horn. This exponential flare horn is a 1” exit bolt-on reinforced polymer type with a 90° × 40° coverage pattern.
To begin testing, I used the LinearX LMS analyzer to produce the 300-point stepped sine wave impedance plot shown in Figure 1. The solid black curve is with the CDX1-1742 mounted on the H1 horn and the dashed blue curve represents the compression driver without the horn. With a 5.76 Ω DCR, the minimum impedance of the CDX1-1742/H1 was 7.75 Ω and at 3.28 kHz. For the next set of sound pressure level (SPL) measurements, I free-air mounted the Celestion CDX1-1742/H1 combination without an enclosure and measured both the horizontal and vertical on and off axis at 2.83 V/1 m from 0° on axis to 60° on and off axis, using the LOUDSOFT FINE R+D analyzer and the G.R.A.S. 46BE microphone (supplied courtesy of LOUDSOFT and G.R.A.S. Sound & Vibration).
Figure 2 displays the on-axis frequency response of the compression driver/horn, which is ±1 dB from 1 kHz to 6 kHz with no major anomalies. The response is smooth and even from 6 kHz, where the low-pass horn related roll-off begins, to 20 kHz. Figure 3 shows the 0° to 60° on- and off-axis response in the horizontal plane. Figure 4 displays the normalized horizontal plane response. Figure 5 shows the CLIO Pocket analyzer-generated horizontal polar plot (in 10° increments with 1/3 octave smoothing applied). Figure 6 gives the on- and off-axis response in the vertical plane. Figure 7 depicts the normalized vertical plane response. Figure 8 shows the CLIO Pocket-generated polar plot (in 10° increments with 1/3 octave smoothing applied). Last, Figure 9 illustrates the two-sample SPL comparison showing the two Celestion CDX1-1742 compression driver samples to be closely matched within 1 dB or less above the recommended crossover frequency of 2 kHz.
For the remaining series of tests, I set up the Listen, Inc. AudioConnect analyzer and 1/4” SCM microphone (provided by Listen, Inc.) to measure distortion and generate time-frequency plots. For the distortion measurement, I again mounted the Celestion CDX1-1742/H1combination in free-air in the same manner as was used for the frequency response measurements, and set the SPL to 104 dB at 1 m (1.94 V determined by using a pink noise stimulus generator and internal SLM in the SoundCheck 16 software). Then, I measured the distortion with the Listen microphone placed 10 cm from the mouth of the horn. This produced the distortion curves shown in Figure 10.
Following this test sequence, I then set up SoundCheck 16 to generate a 2.83 V/1 m impulse response curve for this driver/horn and imported the data into Listen’s SoundMap Time/Frequency software. Figure 11 shows the resulting cumulative spectral decay (CSD) waterfall plot. Figure 12 shows the Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) plot.
Looking at all the data acquired, the UK-manufactured Celestion CDX1-1742 is a well-engineered 1” compression driver, exhibiting good performance, with Celestion’s usual excellent build quality. For more about this and other Celestion OEM pro sound products, visit the company’s website at www.celestion.com. VC
This article was originally published in Voice Coil, May 2018.
